Self-acting mule



(No Model.) 5 Shets-Sheet 1. G. G. HAWKINS. SELF ACTING MULB- 5 sheetssheet 2;

(No Model.)

' a. 0. HAWKINS.

. H SELF ACTING MULE. N0. 550,790. Patented Dec. 3, 1895.

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a. O..H AWKINS. SELF ACTING MULE. NO. 550,790. Patented Dec. 3, 1 895.

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AN DREW B.GRAHAM. PHOTB-UTHDWASMRSIDN I);

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4. G. G. HAWKINS. SELF ACTING MULE. i No.550,790. Patented Dec. 3, 1895.

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(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

G. 0. HAWKINS.

SELF ACTING MULE.

No. 550,790. Patented DeoLS', 1895.

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IJNiTnn STATnsj PATENT Urnrcn GARDNER O. HAWKINS, OF BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS.

SELF-ACTING M U LE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 550,790, dated December3, 1895.

Application filed July 10, 1895. Serial No. 555,474. (No model) To allwhom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GARDNER O. HAWKINS, of Boston, county of Suffolk,State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Self-Acting'Mules, of which the following description, in connection with theaccompan ing drawings, is a specification, like letters and figures onthe drawings representing like parts.

It is 110w the usual practice to drive self-acting spinning-mules from ahead-stock which receives power by means of a suitable belt fromshafting, the different operations of the mule being derived from thehead-stock by various mechanisms, the functions of drawing the carriagein and out being performed by means of scrolls and ropes or by racks andgearing, both of which are objectionable. This results in a large andmost complicated mass of mechanical details, taking up much room,requiring a comparatively large amount of power relatively to the workto be performed, and by reason of the very large number of parts thefirst cost of the mule is very great and the running expenses caused bywear and tear mount up to an excessive yearly amount. Variations in thetiming of the different parts also causes improper stretching or kinkingof the yarn, so that the product is not uniform.

The many and varied operations and m ovements of parts necessary in aself-acting mule have heretofore precluded the simplification thereof,with a consequent reduction in cost and necessary power to actuate it.

The essential operations of a self-acting mule are substantially asfollows: drawing the carriage in and out, rotating the spindles mountedon the carriage to draw and twist or spin the yarn as the carriage isdrawn out, reversing the direction of rotation of the spindles for a fewturns at the outer end of the travel of the carriage during the backingoff, rotating the spindles as the carriage is drawn in to wind the yarnthereupon, the speed of rotation being gradually decreased as the copsincrease in size, and shaping the cop.

Inasmuch as the head-stock is stationary and the carriage continuallymoving in one direction or the other as it is drawn in or out, the meansfor transmitting and controlling the direction and speed of rotation tothe spindles on the carriage and for causing the proper movements of thelatter must necessarily be extremely complicated, and so much power isrequired to overcome the friction of the different parts of themechanism, composed largely of idlers, that considerably more power isrequired to operate the mule thanwould be otherwise necessary and thebacklash and lost motion introduced by the complicated mechanism is aconstant source of trouble.

i In my experiments and studies to simplify the construction of and toreduce the power necessary to operate self-acting mules and to increasetheir rapidity and precision of operation I have discovered that thehead-stock, with its complicated and cumbersome mechanism, may bedispensed with entirely by transferring the driving power directly to aself-propelling carriage, the rotation and control of the spindles andtheir co-operating devices and the in and out movements of the carriagebeing controlled directly from the carriage itself. I am thereby enabledto so reduce the number of necessary parts as to proportionally lowerthe first cost of production and to do away with the larger portion ofthe running expenses, and, furthermore, I make the operation of the mulemore positive and direct than has heretofore been possible, obviatingslip and backlash, and the mule can be run at a much higher speed thanis now possible to produce good work. The reduction of parts decreasesthe friction to be overcome and thereby requires less power to operate amule constructed in accordance with my invention, compared with thepresent self-acting mules known to me, spindle for spindle, and as slipis avoided I am enabled to produce more uniform results with anincreased output.

In spinningor twisting yarn on a mule it is necessary to adjust theangle of the spindles according to the number of the yarn to beproduced; but, so far as I am aware, such adjustment must now be madewhen the mule is inoperative on one section of spindles after another,the skill and judgment of the operator being wholly relied upon toproperly adjust the whole series equally, and asit is a long, tiresome,and dirty job to properly adjust the spindles it is very frequentlyshirked and neglected. The adjustment is effected ICO by moving theupper bearing or bolster-rail relatively to the lower bearing orstep-rail, the step-bearings being cupped out sufficiently to permitsuch movement of the spindles. The spindle-whirls are thus moved towardor away from the driving drum or cylinder, and consequently thedriving-bands are slackened or strained, an d it is impossible to obtainuniform speed of rotation for the spindles, and as the mule must remainidle during adjustment the output will be diminished.

Ihave herein provided means for so mounting the spindles that the entireseries at one or the other side of the carriage may be instantly andaccurately adjusted to any desired angle without changing the tension ofthe driving-bands and without stopping the operation of the mule. Thisis a most valuable feature, for in operating spinning-mules the yarnwill often snarl on the spindles on account of the angles of thespindles being improperly adjusted to the number of the yarn being spun,and by means of my invention the attendant can regulate the angle untilthe yarn runs smoothly and properly. So, too, a mule may be run one dayupon one number of yarn and the next day it may be desired to .run it onan entirely different num ber, and by the ready and rapid adjustment Ihave provided the mule can be changed whenever desired from one toanother numher of yarn.

I have herein provided means for positively effecting the drawing-outmovement of the carriage at a uniform speed and for running the carriagein with a positive acceleration and diminution of speed by simple andpositively-operating mechanism on the carriage itself, a commonactuating-shaft, hereinafter termed the motor-shaft, being mounted onthe carriage and continuously rotated at a constant speed.

The devices for changing the direction of movement of the carriage ateach end of the stretch, so as to spin and wind alternately, act toconnect the drawing-out or the running-in movements with themotor-shaft, and such devices are instantaneous in their operation andreadily adjustable to conform to the various conditions under which themule should Work on different kinds of yarn.

Many of the particular devices herein shown and described are common toself acting mules now in use, and such parts I have not described indetail, confining myself more particularly to those parts which form thegist of my invention.

Figure 1, in side elevation, represents a selfacting mule embodying myinvention, the

3 is 'a front elevation of the carriage and parts shown in Fig. 2 andlikewise broken out at the ends to save space, the longitudinalrunning-in shaft being also broken out at the center of the carriage tomore clearly show some of theparts behind it. Fig. 4 is a transversesectional view of the carriage, taken on the line m, Fig. 2, lookingtoward the left. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the carriage, taken on theline w 00, Fig. 2, looking toward the right. Fig. 6 is a diagrammaticalview of a modified form of means for transmitting power to the carriage,to be hereinafter referred to. Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional View ofthe carriage, taken on the line 00 :0 Fig. 3, looking toward the left.Fig. 8 is a side elevation of one form of builder-rail.

Referring to Fig. 1, the creel-frame A, to support a series of creels A-at one end of the apparatus, the quadrant B, having a toothed segmentalsurface 6 in engagement with a driving-pinion Z), fast on a rotatableshaft b mounted on a fixed part of the frame A at the opposite end ofthe mule-frame, and the central tie-rod A (shown only in Fig. 1) may beand are all substantially as usual or common in self-acting mules, thecreel-frame being provided with suitable drawing .or feed rolls A (shownonly in section in Fig. 1) of well-known construction and driven inusual manner.

In Fig. 1 the fixed supports and bearings for the feeda'olls have beenomitted for the sake of clearness, inasmuch as such parts are old andwell known, they forming no part of this invention.

A series of tracks 25 29, Figs. 1 and 2, at each side of thelongitudinal center of the muleframe extend along the floor from frontto back of the frame in parallelism, the trackst being'arranged near theouter ends and the tracks 6 toward the center of the carriage now to bedescribed.

The carriage is very long in order to acco1n modate a large number ofspindles and comparatively narrow, and it has a considerable weight tosupport, aswill presently appear, and in order to combine strength andrigidity with lightness I have herein shown the carriage assubstantiallya lattice-girder formed of two oppositely-turnedangle-irons c 0, extending from each end of the carriage to a point nearthe center, the horizontal webs of the angle-irons being connected bylatticeplatesc (Mostclearlyshownin Fig.2.) The lattice-girder thusformed is securely bolted to inner transverse truck-frames andadjustably to outer truck-frames 0* by means of screw-bolts 20 passingthrough'threaded cars 21 on the vertical webs of the an gle-irons andinto truck-frames 0 the latter being located substantially at the endsof the girder, while the frames 0 are located toward the center of thecarriage and support the interrupted ends of thegirder, as will be seenby reference to Figs. 1 and 2, so that the girder proper is interruptedat the central portion of the car- IIO riage to support the operatingmechanism thereat.

Shaft-s c and c are extended from one to the other of the outermosttruck-frames c and through the intermediate frames at the front and backof the carriage, rotating in suitable bearings in said frames and havingsecured thereto, preferably, grooved or flanged wheels T T, which runupon the tracks 15 t. These shafts and their attached wheels arepositively and independently rotated, the shaft 0 acting as thedriving-shaft when the carriage is running in and having a graduallyaccelerating and diminishing speed, while the shaft 0 is positivelyrotated at a uniform speed in the opposite direction to move thecarriage out, and it will be hereinafter designated as the drawing-outshaft.

The inner frames 0 are rigidly connected by suitable bolts to a centerplate or casting O, which serves to not only rigidly connect the girdersforming the two ends of the carriage, but also to form a support for thespindle-operating mechanism to be described and the clutchesintermediate the motor-shaft and the running-in and drawing-out shafts.

A drum-shaft D is extended from one end of the carriage to the other andis supported in suitable bearings 5 and 6 at its outer ends and towardthe center of the carriage, respectively, the latter bearings beingsecured to the connecting-plate O, and the said drumshaft, as hereinshown, passes through a motor M and is additionally supported thereby,as will hereinafter appear.

The spindle-driving drums or cylinders D are suitably secured to androtate with said shaft betweenthe bearings 5 and 6 at each side of thecenter of the carriage, and bands D (shown only in Figs. 1 and 2) arepassed about the drums to drive the whirls w of the spindles S, eachspindle preferably having its own driving-band, although a continuousband engaging all the spindles may be used, if desired.

As best shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4, the spindles S are mounted in abolster-bearing s and a step-bearing s in bolster and step rails y y,respectively, secured atintervals to yokes y which are pivoted at g toupturned standards 1 preferably bolted to the vertical flange of theangle-iron 0, so that the entire series of spindles at each side of thecenter of the carriage may be rocked on the horizontal pivots 1 of theyokes in unison, as desired, it being evident that when thebolsterbearings are moved in one direction the stepbearings will bemoved inan opposite direction in unison and by a like amount, so thatthe angle of the spindles may be most acourately adjusted, as desired.

The whirls w are located opposite to the pivotal points of the yokes yso that pivotal movement of the latter will not vary the tension of thedriving-bands D in adjusting the angle of the spindles, and consequentlythe speed of rotation will be maintained uniform irrespective of theangle at which the spin dles may be adjusted.

To conveniently adjust the angle of the spindles according to the numberand condition of the yarn to be produced, I have herein shown the yokesas connected by links 11 to arms y on a longitudinal rock-shaft y, twoof such rock-shafts being shown, one at each side-of the carriage andextended the length thereof.

Partial rotation of the rock-shafts in one or the other direction will,it is obvious, adjust the angle of the spindles through the mechanismdescribed, and any suitable locking device may be used to hold therock-shafts, and consequently the spindles, in adjusted position. Onesuch simple form of locking device is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, thestationary locking-plate g being provided with a notched segmentalperiphery, one or other notches of which may be engaged by a suitablebolt 1 on an arm y", fast to the projecting end of the rock-shaft,although it is obvious that any other suitable locking device may beused in place thereof.

Obviously all of the spindles at one or the other side of the center ofthe carriage will be adjusted simultaneously and by a like amount by theadjusting mechanism de-.

scribed and that without stopping the operation of the mule, as it issometimes desirable to change the spindle-angle while the mule isrunning, in order to perfect the operation thereof.

I have herein shown the carriage as self-propelled by means of anelectric motor supported on and moving with the carriage, the currentbeing conveyed to and from the motor by suitable wires 10, 11, 12, and13, a four-wire system being shown, the coils in the wires being amplysufficient topermit the travel of the carriage.

A motor having commutator-brushes cannot, of course, be used ordinarilyin a spinningmill on account of the sparking, and I prefer to use whatis known as the Tesla polyphasemotor, such a motor being illustrated inthe drawings, bolted securely to the connectingplates C, the rotatingmember of the motor being attached to a hollow shaft or sleeve m,surrounding and adapted to rotate independently of or with thedrum-shaft D, the hollow shaft or sleeve 7% being herein termed themotor-shaft. The motor is in continuous operation, and consequently themotor-shaft m will also rotate continuously, and I have provided meansfor at times automatically connecting the drum-shaft to and to rotatewith the motor -shaft and to disconnect it therefrom, and also fortransmitting the rotation of the motor-shaft to the drawing-out andrunning-in shafts c and 0 respectively.

The motor shaft or sleeve m has fast thereon a worm m in engagement witha Wormwheel m (see Figs. 3 and 4,) mounted on a shaft m supported insuitable bearings on the plate 0, the said shaft m having fast thereonbevel-gears n and at opposite sides of the worm-wheel.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the bevel-gear a is in mesh with a like gear(Z, loose on the drawing-out shaft c and having secured to or formingpart of it one member, as (1, of a frictionclutch, the other member, (F,of the clutch being mounted upon the shaft 0 to rotate therewith bybeing splin ed and longitudin ally movable thereon, all as is common infrictionclutches of this character.

The hub 61 of the movable member of the clutch is engaged by a yoke-armd, (see dotted lines, Figs. 2 and 4,) extended through a suitableopening in and pivoted to the plate 0, the lower end of the yoke-armprojecting below said plate and to be acted upon by a suitable actuator(1 attached to the floor at the inner end of the travel of the carriage(shown in Figs. 2 and at) and having an inclined operating-face of suchshape as to throw the clutch d d into operative position to positivelyrotate the shaft 0" in the direction of the arrow 200, Fig. 2, when thedrawin g-out movement of the carriage is to begin.

hen the carriage reaches the outer end of the stretch, it is necessaryto unclutch the shaft 0 from connection with the motor mechanism, andthis is accomplished by means of Y clutch to be engaged at times by theco-operating member 0 of the clutch, which is splined onto the shaft 0to rotate therewith and being longitudinally movable thereon. The member0 is moved longitudinally into and out of engagement with the member 0by means of a yoke-arm 0 (best shown in Fig. 3,) pivoted in andext-ended through the plate 0 and extended below the said plate to beengaged by an actuator 0 on the floor of the room to throw the clutch 00 into operative position just after the clutch d d has been released,the momentum of the carriage at each end of its travel being sufficientto cause one clutch to be thrown in after the other is thrown out. Theshaft 0 has fast thereon an elliptic gear 0 Figs. 2 and at, in mesh witha second elliptic gear 0 on an intermediate shaft 0", mounted in thecarriage-frame, said intermediate shaft having fast thereon a gear 0 in.mesh with a pinion 0 on the running-in shaft 0 so that rotation istransmitted to the said running-in shaft through the elliptic gears oand 0 the gear 0 and the pinion o The elliptic gears impart to the shaft0 a slow rotation at the beginning, gradually accelerating the speed atfirst and then later diminishing it as the carriage is run in, the

shaft being rotated while running in in the direction of the arrow 300,Fig. 2.

\Vhen the carriage arrives at the inner end of its travel, the clutch oo is rendered inoperative by means of an actuator 0 at the illner end ofthe path of movement of the yokearm 0 just before the actuator d throwsthe clutch d (Z into operative position.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the drawing-outmovement of the carriage, away from the creel-frame, will be a regularuniform movement, while its movement toward the creel-frame or runningin willbe a variable one, graduallyaccelerated to maximum speed andthereafter diminishing till it reaches the inner end of its travel, andby adjusting the clutch-actuators the timing of the travel of thecarriage can be regulated as may be necessary.

The motor-shaft m, which rotates continuously with the armature of themotor M, as herein shown, has fast thereon one member, as 6, (see Fig.3,) of a friction-clutch, which maybe of any suitable construction; butherein I have broken out the member 6 of the clutch to show an inclosedsplit ring 6, normally surrounding the drum-shaft D loosely, said splitring being tightened upon the said shaft by means of a lever 0 (seedotted lines,

Fig. 3,) having an eccentric end mounted in the member 6 to bear uponand at times compress the ring 6 upon the shaft, the lever a rotatingwith the clutch. Rotative movement of the eccentric end of the levercompresses the split ring a. This clutch forms the subjeetmatter ofUnited States Patent No. 239,933 and Reissue No. 10,365, granted August14:, 1883, to Thomas F. Carver, and'as it is not of my invention andclearly shown in said patents, to which reference may be had, I do notdeem it necessary to show its construction in detail.

The lever e is moved into operative posi tion by means of a suitablecone e loosely mounted on the drum-shaft and longitudinally movablerelatively thereto by means of a lever 6 pivoted at e to a stand on theplate 0, the depending end of said lever being engaged by asuitablecam-shaped actuator a (see Fig. 2) at the inner end of thetravel of the carriage to move the clutch e 6 into operative position toconnect the motor shaft or sleeve m with and to rotate the drum-shaft Dat full speed, so that during the drawing-out movement of the carriageaway from the creel-frame the driving-drums Dare rotated at theirhighest speed to in turn rotate the spindles S to spin or twist theyarns. At the outer end of the travel of the carriage the clutch c e isthrown out of operative position by a cam-like actuator 6 (See Figs.2and 3.)

When the outward movement of the carriage is stopped, the backing off,which is the rotation of the spindles backwardly, is then effected priorto running in and winding on,

the fallerwire at the same time being depressed to be ready for thewinding on, and referring to Figs. 2, 3, 5, and 8 the backingoffoperation will now be described. shaft m is extended toward the front ofthe carriage and supported in a bearing m on the plate 0, and abevel-gear mifast on the shaft, is in mesh with a similar gear m, faston an intermediate shaft m rotatable in bearings 7. A sprocket or othersuitable wheel hi fast on the shaft m is connected by a chain or beltmwith a second sprocket m fast on a short shaft m, rotatable in suitablebearingsupports and having loosely mounted thereon a gear m in mesh witha gear Z2 fast on the drum-shaft. The intermediate shaft m rotatescontinuously in the direction of the arrow 4500, Fig. 2, and by orthrough the intermediate connections the shaft in is rotatedcontinuously in the same direction as the rotation of the shaft mObviously the loose gear m will be rotated by the gear Z) during thespinning or twisting; but when the clutch e is thrown out of operationthe gear on is temporarily clutched to the shaft m to rotate the drumshaft D and thereby the spindles backwardly to effect the backing off.The hub of the gear m forms one member m of the clutch, the cooperatingmember in being splined to and longitudinally movable on the shaft m byan operating-lever m pivoted at in and extended through an opening inthe plate C, as shown in Fig. 3, to be engaged and moved by an actuatorm", which is shaped, as shown in Fig. 2, to move the clutch intooperative position at the end of the stretch and back off the spindles,the momentum of the carriage taking the lever 471 beyond the end of theactuator, so that the spring .9 will move it to release the clutch, thespindles being then ready for the winding on.

\Vhen the carriage begins its travel toward the creel-frame and whilerunning in, the drums D" are rotated by other mechanism now to bedescribed, it being understood that when running in the drum-shaft D isentirely disconnected from the sleeve 0% by or through the clutchmechanism just described.

The'quadrant B to regulate the winding on in usual manner is driven by aband or rope I), (see Fig 1,) secured at its ends to the carriage in anywell-known; manner at h the said band passing around an idler b loose onthe drawing-roll-actuating shaft A, and rotating the, actuating pinion hby or through the pulley b fast on the shaft (7 The usual sliding nut Z1of the quadrant is connected loosely with the winding-chain b in usualmanner, one end of said chain being secured to the chain drum Z), thesaid drum being shown best in Fig. 2 as mounted on a portion of themotor-frame, said drum having attached thereto a gear If in engagementwith a gear bisecured to or forming part of one member I) of thewindingon clutch, the other sliding member Z9 of said clutch beingactuated in usual manner through a lover I)", controlled by the fallerThe mechanism, to throw the clutch into operation 'at the beginning ofthe winding on and to throw it out of operation when the carriage hascompleted the running in.

As best shown in Fig. 2, the member b of the clutch is splined on anauxiliary shaft Z7 having fast thereon a gear I), which is in mesh witha gear I), fast on the drum-shaft D, and, as will be readily understood,the drum-shaft will be rotated when the carriage is running in to windthe previously-twisted yarn upon the spindles S. The winding-on motionof thespindles S is thus attained while the carriage is moving away fromthe sliding nut of the quadrant at a speed greater than the speed of thenut. riage over the quadrant-nut thus gives motion to the spindles inusual manner and at the first wind on the bare spindle the quad rant-nutwill start at a point near the bot tom of the quadrant-frame B.

At the next wind the speed of the cylinder should'be diminished inproportion as the yarn wound. on in the previous wind has increased thediameter on which the winding is now to be effected, and this isaccomplished by the raising of the quadrant-nut to give the properspindle speed to wind on after each successive draw. The spindle speedis diminished at the beginning of each winding on until the cone, isformed, and then the winding-on motion is substantially uniform until.the full cop is formed. The quadrant-nut h" is raised or lowered byrotation of the screw h the r0- tation being imparted thereto throughbevelj with a feed-sheave a.

gears (not shown) and of Well-known construction and forming no part ofmyinvention, the actuating-gear being secured to and to rotate Anendless cord at is passed around the sheave a, then around an adjacentguide-pulley a one portion of the cord or band being carried forwardaround an idler a at the base of the creel-frame, thence over an idleron the carriage and a sheave ca, fast on a shaft a, mounted rotatably inthe carriage, and back to guide-pulley a As the carriage moves back andforth the shaft (i will be rotated first in one and 1 then in the otherdirection bythe cord a, and

the feed-sheave awill not be rotated. If,

i however,therotation of the shaft o is stopped,

the friction of the cord passing around it will act topu'll one side ofthe cord in the direction of movement of the carriage, rotating thefeed-sheave (I, and through the interven- 3 arm.

A toothed wheel or cscapement a is secured to the shaft a to be engagedat the proper time by a device, to be described, to thus stop rotationof the shaft a and cause the quadrant-nut b" to feed-along.

hen the carriage is moving toward the quadrant during. the drawing out,the quadrant-chain 19 must be wound upon the chain-,

I drum Z) to "take up'the slack, and to. do this The gain of the can IIOI have attached to the chain-drum a preferably grooved pulley I), aboutwhich is passed one or more times a cord or band Z1 fixed at one end tothe creel-frame A or otherwise, the said cord or band after passingaround the pulley b being led back over an idler Z9 on the carriage andthence to the quadrantsupport B to which it is secured, and it will beevident that as the carriage is moved in one or the other direction thechain-drum b will be correspondingly rotated by or through the band orcord Z2 described.

When the carriage is running in, the quadrant-chain will rotate the drumb in the direction of the arrow 600, Fig. 2, the band or cord Z9slipping around the grooved pulley b more or less, according to thespeed imparted to the drum by the chain, and when the carriage isdrawing out the cord Z9 will rotate the drum in the direction oppositeto the arrow 600 to wind the chain thereupon.

The sleeve m has fast thereon a grooved sheave m, about which is wrappedone or more times an endless band m (shown only in Fig. 1,) extendingaround an idler m at one end of the travel of the carriage and alsoaround a suitable sheave m adjacent the creel-frame, mounted on a shaftm to which is adjustably attached a friction-disk m in engagement withthe flat surface of a second friction-disk m fast on an upright shaft m,provided with a bevel-gear m in mesh with and to rotate the largerbevel-gear on, loose on the driving-shaft of the drawing-rolls A andconnected thereto at times by a suitable clutch mechanism in usualmanner, as is common in self-acting mules.

By adjusting the friction-wheel m toward or away from the center ofrotation of the disk m the speed of the latter may be varied to vary thespeed of the drawing or feed rolls.

An arm f is rigidlysecured to and projects in front of the faller-shaftf, and to this arm is attached a chain f passed around an idler fmounted on a bracket f on the standard 105 of the carriage, (shown onlyin Figs. 5 and 7 to avoid confusion,) the chain passing thence to a drumK, which is rotated during the backing off by the shaft 5 by means ofthe usual click motion within the drum K, the teeth thereof being so setas to engage only at such time. hen the drum is thus rotated, it windsup the chain f and brings the fallerwire F down upon the threads, (notshown to avoid confusing the drawings,) depressing them toward thebottom of the cops. The arm f is bent over rearwardly from thefallershaft at f, and the upper end of the locking-bar 7b is pivotedthereto, said bar being connected by a link it to the bracket f. Thelower end of the locking-bar is provided with a shoulder 7L2, adaptedwhen the bar is lifted to swing over upon a suitable roller or otherstud 7L3 on the builder h. The faller being locked, the carriage beginsto run in, and while the spindles S wind up the thread on the cops thefaller gradually rises as the builder runs down the part 72 of thecopping-rail shown in Fig. 8. The builder 71 has bearings in thecarriage, and is provided with a friction-roll 7L W1llCh*tI'ZtVGlS uponthe copping-rail.

The copping-rail may be of any usual or desired construction and formsno part of my invention; but in Fig. 8 I have shown in elevation theform of copping-rail forming a part of United States Patent No. 147,590,granted February 17 1874, to \l. W. Bancroft, to which reference may behad.

Any usual counterweight or spring may be applied to the faller-shaft tolift it, and to avoid confusion in the drawings I have omitted the same.7

The cops are built up in successive stages, the range of the faller-wireF gradually increasing as the size of the cops increases by means of thecopping-rail, the two-part rail 7 2 (shown in Fig. 8) being hingedtogether and moved vertically by the three inclines or wedges U, as inthe patent referred to, the wedges being connected by a rod 1 andactuated by means of a threaded rod 2, which is operated in usual mannerand engages an car on one of the wedges. When the spindles arrive at thedrawing-rolls A, the usual stop engages the end h of the locking-bar hand removes its shoulder 77,2 from engagement with the builder, therebyreleasing the faller, so that the faller-wire F rises clear of thethreads.

The faller-wire F is carried by the sharplycurved or sickle-shaped armsF between its ends and by the end arms F attached to the faller-shaft f,and the counter-faller wire G is carried by intermediate arms G and endarms G secured to the counter-faller shaft g, and during the winding thecounter-faller wire G bears up constantly against the under side of thethreads in usual manner by means of the usual counterbalancing weight orspring to maintain the proper tension of the threads. During thespinning the counter-faller wire G is held up just beneath the threads,but without touching them.

Both the arms F and G are shown in the sectional views, Figs. 4, 5, and7, and in Fig. 1, but they have been omitted in Figs. 2 and 3 to avoidconfusion, and in both of the latter figures the escapement-controllingchain, the builder, an d the locking-lever have been omitted to avoidconfusion.

As has been hereinbefore referred to, the escapement-wheel a is adaptedat times to be stopped in its rotation to thereby, through the cord orband a, move the quadrant-nut b" away from the center of movement of thequadrant-arm as the cops increase in diameter. This stoppage of theescapement a is effected, as herein shown, by a latch a on a lever a,pivoted on the carriage and having a grooved roll or sheave a thereon,and a chain a is connected at its ends to the arms F and G2 above it,the latter fast to the counter-faller shaft and passed about the sheavea The depression of the counterfaller toward the lower part of the copallows the latch a to drop into engagement with and stop theescapement-whe'el a and as the carriage runs in it drags the band orcord (1, with it, turning the threaded rod Z) to move the nut I)outward. Then the backing-off motion ceases and the carriage begins torun in for winding on the stretch of thread spun, the counter-fallerwire G is at its highest position to compensate for the additionallength of thread nneoiled from the spindle by the backing off. The nut bis still in the same position on the quadrant-arm as it was at theconclusion of the winding of the previous stretch, while the diameter ofthe cop has increased by the last winding, and as the carriage begins torun in the winding of the new stretch commences at too high a speed forthe proper windin g on and begins at once to take up the thread givenoff by the backing off in order to depress the counter-fallen Thecounter-faller is thus immediately depressed and by means of thecontrolling-latch engaging the escapementwheel a causes the nut b" to bemoved away from the center of quadrantarm B until the speed of thewinding is diminished sufficiently to permit the counter -faller to risehigh enough to withdraw the latch a from the esoapement-wheel. Thismovement is substan tially the same or equivalent to that employed inself-acting mules now in use, and is not of my invention.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the head-stock hasbeen entirely dispensed with and that all the varied and more or lessintricate movements of the several mechanisms of the mule are operatedfrom a motor on the carriage by intermediate connections, and bydispensing with the use of scrolls, fast and loose pulleys, andbeltshifters the time of operation of the different parts is greatlyreduced, the operations also being performed in a much more positivemanner than heretofore and with little or no slip or backlash.

The motor on the carriage is in continuous uniform operation while themule is running, and when using an electric motor of the Tesla polyphasetype there isabsolutely no generation of static electricity, which wouldbe most objectionable and which is generated to so large an amount bythe numerous belts and bands in the self-acting mules now known to me.

I prefer the style of motor named on account of the absence of staticelectricity 5 but my invention is not restricted thereto, and instead ofan electric motor I may continuously rotate the motor shaft on thecarriage by means similar to that shown in Fig. 6. In said Fig. 6 themotor-shaft R, which is mounted on the carriage and corresponds to therotating member of the electric motor, has secured thereto a groovedpulley R, around which is passed an' endless band R the latter passingabout a guide-pulley R at one end of the mule-frame (not shown) andabout a pulley or sheave R at the other end, secured to and forming partof a belt-pulley A belt R conveys power from any suitable source to andto rotate the belt-pulley R and sheave R such rotative movement beingtransmitted to the pulley R on the carriage, the latter being free tomove forward and back, as described, while its motor-shaft R isconstantly rotated in one direction. IVhen the speed of the carriage isincreased or diminished, the band B will slip on the pulley R, as itwill be remembered that the carriage has a variable speed when runningin; but the belt R runs at a uniform speed at all times.

My invention is not restricted to the exact construction and arrangementof parts herein shown, as it is obvious that the same may be varied orrearranged without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim- 1. In a self acting mule, a carriage, a propelling motortherefor mounted upon it, and connections between said motor and astationary source of power, substantially as described.

2. In a self-acting mule the following inoperating shaft for saidmechanism, mounted upon the carriage, substantially as described.

3. In a self-acting mule the following instrumentalities,viz :a spindlecarriage running-in and drawing-out mechanisms thereon; a continuouslyrotating shaft 011 the car riage; and clutch devices between and toconnect said shaft with one or other of said mechanisms, substantiallyas described.

at. In a self-acting mule, drawing rolls; a carriage; means thereon tomove it toward the rolls at a Variable speed; means carried by and tomove the carriage away from the rolls at a uniform speed; a motor on thecarriage; and connections between said motor and the propelling means,to positively operate them, substantially as described.

5. In a self-acting mule, a carriage; sup porting wheels therefor andtheir rotatable shafts,running-in mechanism on the carriage, includingvariable speed gearing, to positively rotate one of said shafts; acontinuously rotating motor on the carriage, and a clutch intermediatethe running-in mechanism and the motor, substantially as described.

6. In a self-acting mule, a carriage; supporting wheels therefor andtheir rotatable shafts running-in mechanism on the carriage, includingelliptic gears connected to and to rotate positively one of said shafts;a continuously rotating motor on the carriage, a clutch between the saidgears and the motor, and means to operate the clutch at the inner andouter ends of the stretch, substantially as described.

'7. In a self acting mule, the following instrumentalities, viz:acarriage; means to move it; a pivotally mounted spindle support on thecarriage; a series of spindles on said support; aspindle driving drum;connections between it and the spindles, to rotate the latter, arock-shaft parallel to said support, and links intermediate said supportand rockshaft, to swing the spindle support on its pivots to adjust theangle of the spindles by partial rotation of the rock-shaft,substantially as described.

8. In a spinning mule, a carriage; a spindle support thereon, comprisinga bolster and a step rail; rigid connections between them; journals forsaid support adjacent the spindle whirls, and a series of spindles;combined with spindle driving mechanism, a rock-shaft parallel to saidspindle support, links connecting said support and rock-shaft, to rockthe support upon its pivots to adjust the angle of the spindles when therock-shaft is partially rotated, and a locking device to retain therock-shaft in desired position, substantially as described.

9. In a self-acting mule, a carriage; a motor thereon; a sleeve attachedto the rotating member thereof; a series of spindles mounted "on thecarriage; driving drums therefor; a drum shaft attached to said drumsand extended through the motor sleeve, and means to connect anddisconnect said shaft and sleeve, substantially as described.

10. In a self-acting mule, a carriage; a drawing-out and a running-inshaft; an electric motor mounted on the carriage independent connectionsbetween the rotating member of said motor and said shafts, a clutch ineach of said connections, to throw the motor into operative connectionwith its respective shaft, and means to operate said clutches,

substantially as described.

11. In a self-acting 1l1l1l,t carriage; propelling mechanism thereon,\spindle driving mechanism, including a drum; a continuously rotatingoperating shaft or sleeve on the carriage; means to connect it to and torotate the drum while the carriage is drawing out; backing-off gearingdriven by the operating shaft, a clutch intermediate the backing-offgearing and the drum, and an actuator to move the clutch into operativeposition at the outer end of the stretch, to back-off the spindles,substantially as described.

12. In a self acting mule, a quadrant, means to operate it; a carriage;propelling mechanism mounted thereupon, to move it in and out; spindlesand spindle driving mechanism on the carriage; winding on mechanism,including a drum and a flexible connection between it and the quadrant;a clutch intermediate the spindle-driving and winding-on mechanisms; asheave secured to the drum, and a flexible band or cord passing aroundthe sheave and secured at the opposite ends of the travel of thecarriage, to rotate the drum as the carriage is drawing-out,substantially as described.

In a self-acting mule, drawing-rolls; a carriage; a continuouslyrotating operating member mounted thereon; connections includingfriction clutches, between it and the running-in and drawing-outmechanisms, to propel the carriage; and actuating means for the drawingrolls driven by said operating shaft, substantially as described.

1i. In a self-acting mule, the following instrumentalities, viz:acarriage, an electric motor thereon having a continuously rotatingmember; running-in and drawing-out mechanisms on and to move thecarriage in one direction or the other; and connections, including aclutch, between each of said mechanisms and the rotating member of themotor, to be positively actuated thereby, substantially as described.

15. In a self-acting mule, the following instrumentalities, viz:acarriage; means to move it in and out; a series of spindles on thecarriage; spindle driving mechanism, a motor on the carriage, andconnections between it and the propelling means and the spindle drivingmechanism, substantially as described. 1

16. In a self-acting mule, a carriage adapted to run in and draw out,and propelling mechanism, including an electric motor, for and mountedupon the carriage, substantially as described.

17. In a self-acting mule, a carriage; mechanism thereon to run in anddraw out the carriage; a continuously rotatin g operating member, and aspindle driving shaft on the carriage, combined with a clutchintermediate said shaft and the operating member, to rotate the spindlesat times, and clutch controlling devices, substantially as described.

1 S. In a self-actin g mule, a spindle carriage faller mechanism, and abacking-off motion, on said carriage; connections between saidbacking-01f motion and the faller mechanism to depress the faller duringthe backing-off; and a motor on the carriage to actuate the backing offmotion, substantially as described.

19. In a self-acting mule, a spindle carriage a faller shaft thereon; alocking lever connected to the shaft; a builder mounted in the carriage,and a copping rail to control the builder, combined With a motor on thecarriage, and connections between said motor and faller shaft, to turnthe latter and move the locking lever into engagement with the builder,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

GARDNER O. HAWKINS.

Witnesses:

J OHN O. EDWARDS, AUGUSTA E. DEAN.

IIO

